‘Ministerial Conference on International Cooperation against
Terrorism and Transnational Organized Crime’
Santo Domingo, March 22, 2007
Declaration of Santo Domingo
The delegations of Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados,
Belize, Dominica, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St.
Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominican Republic, Suriname and, Trinidad and
Tobago, participating in the Ministerial Conference on International
Cooperation against Terrorism and Transnational Organized Crime (hereafter
referred to as the Ministerial Conference), meeting in Santo Domingo from 19
to 22 March 2007;
Noting with appreciation the work of the United Nations Office on Drugs
and Crime (UNODC) and the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism of
the Organization of American States (OAS/CICTE), in organizing this
Conference, and also appreciating the work of the UNODC regional office for
Central America and the Caribbean, based in Mexico;
Recognizing also the presence of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism
Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), the 1267 Committee Monitoring
Team, INTERPOL, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the
Commonwealth Secretariat, the Latin American Institute for the Prevention of
Crime and the Treatment of Offenders (ILANUD), as well as the experts of the
Departments of Justice of the United States and Canada and the New Scotland
Yard of the United Kingdom;
Expressing appreciation for the work of the UNODC Terrorism Prevention
Branch, the Secretariat of CICTE of the Organization of American States
(OAS) and the Commonwealth Secretariat in the provision of technical
assistance and capacity building to support criminal justice systems in order to
enable them to fulfil the obligations deriving from the relevant universal antiterrorism instruments 1, and the Inter-American Convention against Terrorism;
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Convention on Offences and Certain Other Acts Committed on Board Aircraft (1963); Convention for the
Suppression of Unlawful Seizure of Aircraft (1970); Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the
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Emphasizing the work of the Counter-Terrorism Committee of the United
Nations Security Council and of its Executive Directorate relating to the
evaluation of the implementation of resolutions 1373 (2001) and 1624 (2004)
and its functions with regard to the coordination of technical assistance and the
promotion of best practices in combating terrorism;
Reaffirming, in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions
1373 (2001) and 1566 (2004) the clear condemnation of terrorism in all its
forms and manifestations; whatever its origin or motivation, in accordance
with the principles of general international law, especially the Charter of the
United Nations, international conventions and other instruments; and likewise
condemns, in accordance with the UN Security Council resolution 1624
(2005), incitement to commit terrorist acts;
Reaffirming also their commitments as members of OAS/CICTE, in
accordance with the Charter of the OAS and the resolutions and declarations of
CICTE and the OAS General Assembly, to prevent, combat and eliminate
terrorism in the hemisphere;
Reaffirming also that it is important for States to ensure that all antiterrorism measures adopted are in conformity with the obligations of
international humanitarian, refugee and human rights law;
Noting the adoption of the International Convention on the Suppression of
Acts of Nuclear Terrorism on 13 April 2005 and its opening for signature and
ratification at the 2005 World Summit, as well as the adoption of the Protocol
to the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of
Maritime Navigation; Protocol to the Protocol for the Suppression of Unlawful
Acts against the Safety of Fixed Platforms located on the Continental Shelf,
Amendment to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material,
adopted in 2005;
Safety of Civil Aviation (1971); Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Offences against Internationally
Protected Persons, including Diplomatic Agents (1973); International Convention against the Taking of Hostages
(1979); Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (1980); Protocol for the Suppression Acts of
Violence at Airports Serving International Civil Aviation, Supplementary to the Convention for the Suppression of
Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Civil Aviation (1988); Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against
the Safety of Maritime Navigation (1988); Protocol for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Fixed
Platforms Located on the Continental Shelf (1988); Convention on the Marking of Plastic Explosives for the
Purpose of Detection (1991); International Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombing (1997);
International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism (1999); International Convention on the
Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (2005); Protocol to the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts
against the Safety of Maritime Navigation (2005); Protocol to the Protocol for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts
against the Safety of Fixed Platforms located on the Continental Shelf (2005); Amendment to the Convention on the
Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (2005).
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Reaffirming the UN General Assembly resolution (60/288) Global
Counter-Terrorism Strategy adopted on 8 September 2006, enhancing the
overall framework for the efforts of the international community to effectively
counter the scourge of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations;
Emphasizing the need to become parties to the UN Convention against
Transnational Organized Crime and the Protocols thereto;
Stressing the importance of the Declaration of Panama on the Protection
of Critical Infrastructure in the Hemisphere in the Face of Terrorism, adopted
at the Seventh Regular Session of the OAS Inter-American Committee against
Terrorism, held in Panama City, from 28 February to 2 March 2007;
Taking note of the ‘Declaration of Santo Domingo’, adopted by the Heads
of State and Governments participating at the Regional Summit on Drugs,
Security and Cooperation, held in the Dominican Republic on16 March, 2007,
which reaffirmed their political will and commitment to cooperate in the fight
against drugs and crime;
Recalling United Nations General Assembly resolution 61/40 which
requests the Terrorism Prevention Branch of the United Nations Office on
Drugs and Crime in Vienna to continue its efforts to enhance, through its
mandate, the capabilities of the United Nations in the prevention of terrorism,
and recognizes, in the context of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy
and UN Security Council resolution 1373 (2001), its role in assisting States in
becoming parties to and implementing the relevant international conventions
and protocols relating to terrorism, and in strengthening international
cooperation mechanisms in criminal matters related to terrorism, including
through national capacity-building;
Declare:
1. The importance for participating States, which have not yet done so,
to become party to the universal anti-terrorism instruments, the Inter-American
Convention against Terrorism, and the United Nations Convention against
Transnational Organized Crime and the Protocols thereto;
2. The need for participating States which have not yet done so, to enact
the necessary domestic legislation for the effective implementation of the
universal instruments aimed at combating terrorism and transnational
organized crime, in particular the aspects relating to the criminalization of acts,
the exercise of jurisdiction and international judicial cooperation;
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3. The reaffirmation of the importance of the principle of due process
and respect for human rights in criminal proceedings relating to terrorism and
transnational organized crime and the need to ensure the protection of victims;
4. Their appeal to the United Nations and other relevant international,
regional and sub-regional organizations to implement the United Nations
Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy at the international, regional and subregional levels, including the mobilization of human and material resources;
5. Their request to the UNODC, including its Terrorism Prevention
Branch and its relevant regional offices, to strengthen and sustain the
implementation of the UN Global Strategy against Terrorism, within its
mandates;
6.
Their commitment to:
a) Continue promoting regional cooperation through CICTE, as the counterterrorism body for the OAS member states, and to collaborate with the UN
Counter-Terrorism Committee established, pursuant to resolution 1373 (2001),
with the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999), and with
the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004), of the United
Nations Security Council;
b) Continue adopting the necessary measures to ensure the most
comprehensive and effective mutual legal assistance in connection with
criminal investigations or proceedings aimed at combating terrorism and
transnational organized crime so as to comply with the treaties, including the
gathering of necessary evidence in such proceedings;
c) Strengthen cooperation among the competent agencies, in particular through
multilateral or bilateral arrangements for the prevention and suppression of
terrorist attacks, in accordance with the relevant provisions of UN Security
Council resolution 1373 (2001);
d) Strengthen national, subregional, regional and international coordination
and cooperation measures and mechanisms to combat transnational organized
crime, in particular illicit drug trafficking, trafficking in persons, illicit
manufacturing of and trafficking in fire arms, including small arms and light
weapons, and money laundering;
e) Urge the international community to provide technical and financial
assistance, so as to enhance criminal investigations and prosecutions;
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7. Their request to those participating States, which have not yet done so,
to submit to UNODC the replies to the questionnaires on the application of the
United Nations Convention on Transnational Organized Crime, and to the
questionnaires on the application of the Protocols thereto, in accordance with
the decisions taken by the Conference of Parties to the Convention at its
various sessions;
8. Their invitation to donor countries and international and regional
organizations to provide technical, financial and material assistance to support
the efforts of the participating States with a view to becoming parties to and
implementing the relevant universal anti-terrorism instruments, the InterAmerican Convention against Terrorism, the United Nations Convention on
Transnational Organized Crime, and the Protocols thereto;
9. Their willingness to make full use of the mechanisms provided for by
Interpol to fight transnational organized crime and terrorism, by utilizing
Interpol’s I-24/7 global police communication system and Interpol’s databases,
including the Stolen and Lost Travel Documents database, and by providing
effective and appropriate response to Interpol’s red notices and to Interpol –
United Nations Security Council special notices;
10. Their request to:
a) UNODC and the OAS/CICTE, to continue providing technical assistance to
the participating States with a view to their becoming party to and
implementing the relevant universal anti-terrorism instruments, the InterAmerican Convention against Terrorism, the United Nations Convention on
Transnational Organized Crime, and the Protocols thereto;
b) UNODC, in close cooperation with the CTC, CTED and other relevant UN
Security Council Committees, to provide bilateral technical assistance to
requesting Caribbean countries in the preparation and submission of their
reports to the United Nations Security Council Committees, and to this end,
consider organizing reporting workshops, in close cooperation with the OASCICTE and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM);
c) UNODC to increase its technical assistance and, together with the OAS and
the Commonwealth Secretariat continue implementing existing training
programmes for judicial and law enforcement authorities involved in
implementing the universal anti-terrorism instruments, the Inter-American
Convention against Terrorism, and the United Nations Convention against
Transnational Organized Crime and the Protocols thereto, as well as
programmes aimed at national legislatures, and develop other appropriate
training programmes;
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11. Their appreciation for the technical assistance tools developed by
UNODC2 and other international organizations, and their intention to use them
in efforts to prevent and suppress international terrorism and transnational
organized crime;
12. Their satisfaction with the development and dissemination of
OAS/CICTE’s “Practical Guide to the Prevention, Detection and Suppression
of Terrorist Financing (2006)”;
13. Their support for the decisions adopted in the ‘Declaration of Santo
Domingo’ by the Heads of State and Governments at the Regional Summit on
Drugs, Security and Cooperation, held in the Dominican Republic on 16
March, 2007;
The participating Delegations express their sincere thanks and appreciation to
the Government of the Dominican Republic for having hosted and supported
this Ministerial Conference, held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic,
from 19 to 22 March 2007, to the UNODC and OAS/CICTE, which jointly
organized this Conference, and thank the Governments of Canada and the
United States for their generous contribution to the UNODC and OAS/CICTE,
respectively, which enabled the organization of this Conference.
Dominican Republic, 22 March 2007.-
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Such as: the Legislative Guide to the Universal Anti-Terrorism Conventions and Protocols; Guide for the
Legislative Incorporation and Implementation of the Universal Instruments against Terrorism; Legislative Guide for
the Implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime; Legislative Guide for
the Implementation of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Specially Women and
Children; Legislative Guide for the Implementation of the Protocol against Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and
Air; Legislative Guide for the Implementation of the Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in
Fire Arms, their Parts and Components and Ammunition; UNODC Model Law on Extradition; Report of the
Informal Expert Working Group on Mutual Legal Assistance Case Work, Best Practice; Report of the Informal
Expert Working Group on Special Extradition Case Work Practice; Model Law on Mutual Legal Assistance on
Criminal Matters; Revised Manuals on the Model Treaty on Extradition and on the Model Treaty of the Legal
Assistance on Criminal Matters; Electronic Legal Resources Database on International Terrorism; Mutual Legal
Assistance Request Writer Tool; Manual on Witness Protection; Preventing Terrorist Acts: A Criminal Justice
Strategy integrating Rule of Law Standards and Implementations of United Nations anti-terrorist Instruments. In
preparation: Manual on Judicial International Cooperation against Terrorism; the Emerging International Legal
Framework for Combating Nuclear Terrorism.
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